The Hobbit: Dragons in the Shire
by FlyingPurpleUnicorn
Summary: White scales and a tail dipped in light blue flashed passed her, making a bee-line back into the pantry. Mirabella huffed before rushing towards it once more before halting and looking at her hands. "S-Scales! That's not Miss Gamford's cat!" Mira shivered before pressing her back against the wall next to the pantry before she moved her nose over the doorway, looking into the dark.
1. Introduction

_In a faraway land called middle earth, this tale starts in the region of Eriador where there is a place that can make you feel at home in a moment. The Shire, where the Hobbits roam – oh, pardon me, the hobbit is a small race that typically dwell underground, believed to be related to Man. They usually have curly hair and large, hairy, feet who never go on adventures – believing them to be nasty things that make you late for supper. Or at least – that's what Bilbo Baggins used to believe._

"You think she'd lose those trousers, so improper. That curtain of hair is so unruly – if not for her height people may believe her to be a loose puppy. And don't start me on those feet, not at all as big as the rest of her siblings – the runt of the litter, honestly!" Cried an elderly female hobbit, though a hobbit was usually kind the world of the Shire found every reason to despise the Took Family. The only respectable Took they believed to be Bilbo Baggins of Bag End, the quiet boy of Belladonna Took who had childish fantasies he eventually grew out of – if only the rest of his Took side would do the same. Beside the elderly hobbit woman stood an older man with plain brown trousers and a green shirt that was buttoned to the neck. No doubt that poor Hobbit woman's husband was so uncomfortable.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Holden." Called the young female Hobbit; she waved her hand in enthusiastic greeting with a bright smile on her face. The gentleman, Mr. Holden, was waved back with a small smile only for Mrs. Holden to smack the back of the Hobbit's head in outrage.

"Stop encouraging her," Growled the Matriarch of the Holden Family. However, Mirabella Took – Daughter to Isembold Took, Son of Gerontius Took- heard the comment dripping with distaste before running her hand through the unruly, curled brown locks.

_A Took_.

That was her family name and no matter how much she tried to act like Bilbo, little slip ups did not go unnoticed from the gossiping creatures in the Shire. Mirabella, on the other hand, wished she was anything but a Took and wished she had been a Baggins like her cousin. As she shuffled along the dirt roads of the shire with her feet kicking up dirt in a pouting manner her eyes glued on her smaller than normal feet. If it wasn't bad enough to be a Took – she had to have been the most single Hobbit with small feet and unruly curly hair – nothing like her many siblings and cousins whose curls were easier to manage. But her father always commented on her feet.

_"It's alright Mirabella, my great uncle – Bandobras Took had a daughter just like you in his multitude of children. She had small feet and unruly hair – but she had a knack for curiosity and one day went off to dwell with the Elves of Lorien. It's just genetics, nasty little bugger that gives you whatever it feels like."_

But Mirabella wasn't as comforted as her father thought – it just made her annoyed with genetics, it gave her the idea that her adventurous spirit had been given to her because of her Took side while giving Bilbo the life of a Baggins of Bag End.

"Stupid adventures." Grumbled Mirabella – but instantly her mind envisioned the Blue Mountains she read so often about, before the magnificent elven city of Rivendell was before her. Mirabella shook her head before puffing her chest out. "I will not go on any adventures – I am a Hobbit, not a dwarf or a Wizard – I am Mirabella Took, the Took with not a single adventure under her belt. " Mirabella encouraged herself before she continued forwards up the hill to Bilbo Baggins' home of Bag End.


	2. An unwanted visitor

Author's note:

I own only Mirabella Took :)

* * *

Mirabella stood outside the small fence of Bag End. The circular door glaring at her as if seeing that a Took was standing before the Baggins home. Mirabella's face dropped before opening the small fence and entering the property. She could hear a shout of pain and Mirabella jumped nearly three feet in the air before shoving the gate back into its place. With a jump and a leap Mirabella was standing before the circular door and shoved it open – not waiting for a knock at the polished wood door.

"Bilbo? Cousin?" Mirabella called only to hear shuffling in the kitchen. Mirabella wondered through the circular arches to the Kitchen. Bilbo stood his right hand waving franticly as if on fire. His face contorted in annoyance as Bilbo shoved his hand under the faucet for cold water. Mirabella immediately understood what happened and blushed at her eagerness that caused her to run into the Baggins home.

"Mira, I was expecting you sooner! The tea is scalding – please don't touch it." Bilbo's kindly voice came from the faucet as Mirabella walked over to Bilbo's cabinets.

"Of course, cousin." Mirabella chuckled as she twirled the tea cups by their handles on her index fingers, smirking over her shoulder at Bilbo who was drying his hands on a dish towel.

"Mira!" Bilbo cried, "Stop, you'll break the cups!"

Mirabella grinned as she placed them gently on the table. "Sorry, Bil."

Bilbo did not look at all amused, a frown marring his lips as he wondered over. He gently plucked the tea kettle from the stove with the dish towel and slowly poured the steaming water into the two cups. Mirabella turned to the small jar that held the tea bags at the counters, Mirabella took a glance around the counters noticing how spotless they were, so organized.

Mirabella turned just as Bilbo was setting himself into his own chair in the middle of the dining room. The two cups of hot water rested on small plates with wisps of heat floating away, two spoons were already placed on separate napkins on the left of each cup. Mirabella stepped daintily over the archway and into the dining room, placing one tea bag on the table top before pushing it towards Bilbo with her index finger; Bilbo snatched it up before dropping the bag into the tea cup with a soft _'plop'_.

Mirabella sat before following his example, both hobbits reached for the sugar in the middle of the table before Bilbo politely moved his hand towards Mirabella. Mirabella took her spoon and put a spoonful of sugar into her tea.

"Mirabella, "Bilbo began, "How are your siblings? Have they written to you since you've moved to Hobbiton?"

"Poppy, Pansy, and Camellia have." Mirabella responded, "But Milo, Rory, Peony, Lily and Hugo have not." Mirabella looked into her tea cup, out of all her siblings Mirabella expected Peony and Lily to have wrote letters right away. But Mirabella had left rather abruptly and no doubt her sisters were very upset.

"What about Lilac?" Questioned Bilbo, his gaze taking in Mirabella' disheartened facial expression.

"Lilac wants to come and visit." Lilac was Mirabella's oldest sister and happily married with two sons. She had moved quite a bit when she got married and last Mirabella had heard her sister was heading back to their father's home to talk of her adventures with her family.

"That's great." Bilbo nodded. "Let's hope she's punctual – unlike today."

The two cousins grinned at each other, "I said I was sorry, Bil."

"And I'm sure you are... But you've been late twice in a row for our tea times." Bilbo chuckled, "Just what have you been getting into on your way here?"

"It's just a bit cold outside cousin. After all, it is Solmath (February)." Mirabella sniffed as if pretending to be coming down with a cold – or was it insult?

"Of course, I hope that Astron (April) will not be so bad." Bilbo commented, "How has your garden been keeping up in this weather?"

"This weather? This is not weather, this is horrible nature getting jealous of my poor flowers, and I may have to plant something else to survive here." Mirabella murmured, those plants she had brought her with her move, they were seeds from home. Mirabella's mother loved to plant them and the loss of those beautiful little white roses hurt Mirabella more than she'd like to admit to Bilbo.

"I tried to tell you. " Bilbo _tsk_ed in his own fashion.

"I know, I should've saved them." Mirabella grumbled before she grasped her cup and raised it to her lips. She blew on the warm liquid before she took a small sip. The tea smelt of gentle herbs freshly brewed, the scented steam slowly swirled before her nose. It wasn't long until the tea cups were empty and the two Hobbits were relaxing in their chairs.

"Of course, would you like the book you wanted to borrow? I finally finished it." Bilbo said, getting up to stride through the archway towards the fireplace. Bilbo gently plucked the book by its binding before wondering to Mirabella once more.

"I have to say this is the most interesting book of the Shire to date." Bilbo smiled at his cousin before she flipped opened the first page. The first page was decorated with elaborate writing of the common tongue – no doubt the rest of the book was writing in the common language.

"I'll take your review into account then." Mirabella gripped the book gentle before cradling the book to her breast. "Thank you; I'll see you soon then cousin. We should figure out a date after I read this book of yours."

"Of course, I'm lending it to you for as long as you like." Spoke the Hobbit before the two cousins walked towards the door.

"Good night, Bilbo. Keep warm." Mirabella grinned as she opened the door and went in to the chilly night of the Shire.

"You too." Bilbo called out as Mirabella exited his gate and back down through Hobbiton.

...

In the bedroom of a small Hobbit hole, a creature stirred beneath the covers of a small hobbit bed. Three sharp knocks made the creature groan before throwing the covers and stumbling from the warm nest it had cradled itself in.

"Mirabella! Are you in?" Called a feminine voice as said Hobbit wondered through the arches and the relatively dark hallways.

"I'm coming!" Mirabella spoke with a groggy tone. She grasped the door handle before the early sunrise greeted her eyes.

"My lord, Mirabella, you've just woken up." Mirabella blinked her eyes before taking in a small hobbit woman with large brown eyes.

"Lilac." Mirabella murmured.

"Who else would it be? I sent you a letter a few days ago." Lilac's portly body rolled through the door, greying locks of hair were starting to show against her hairline. Lilac closed the door behind her, inviting herself in.

"It's only five in the morning!" Mirabella gapped as she followed Lilac to her kitchen.

"Five? I clearly remember you always being up and about my garden at five in the morning!" Lilac announce gleefully.

Mirabella watched as Lilac scurry around before stopping at the stove, sizzling quickly broke the silence in the room. Mirabella eyes wondered over her eldest sister as she cooked, the smell of beacon starting to make her mouth water. Her sister had been greeting Age with kindness and Age treated her just as well. Wrinkles littered on her face in few numbers and a smile that hadn't dimmed since last Mirabella saw her.

"Look at you, skin and bones! What have you been eating, Bella?" Mirabella twitched at the pet name, but kept her mouth shut.

"I've been eating fine, sister." Mirabella answered.

Lilac _tsk_ed before fluttering around the room, grabbing plates and setting the table. "Oh fine, the food I've brought should fatten you up. Go out into the hall and put my things away for this old bag of bones." Lilac chuckled at her own joke but Mirabella was not laughing instead she wondered over to the front of the house and set most of the bags in the guest room. The room was dark and easy on her eyes that were still heavy with sleep.

"Bella, the grey bundle is for you." Lilac sung in her off-pitch voice. Mirabella winced at the nickname before grasping the grey bundle, it was heavy and Mirabella had to carry the bundle with two hands as she walked towards the pantry.

She dropped the load and yanked at the grey coverings before a crate of delicacies were shown. Dwarf and Elf herbs and spices enter her senses as she could only stare at what was in the middle of the lavish selection. A large egg with dark, delicate, swirling patterns on a starch grey background, it was beautiful and Mirabella grasped the egg that was as big as her head.

"Lilac, where did you find this?" Mirabella asked in awe at the unique egg.

"Oh! I found in a market place in Bree. Quite an interesting man, he put up a bit of a fight when I was pitching prices, eventually he seemed he just wanted to get rid of it. I believe it must be from an Elf seller or something." Lilac answered as she placed the mountain of beacon on the table top. "I can cook it if you'd like?"

"I'm fine, thank very much. I think I'll keep it for a while." Mirabella murmured as she turned the egg over, her eyes following the patterns.

"By the time I leave that egg will be rotting in the pantry." Lilac chuckled as she shook her head and helped herself to some beacon.

"It won't, sister." Mirabella protested as she put the egg back, she placed the egg gently on the stack of goods.

...

The next day Mirabella and Lilac were invited to a party, out of complete politeness. After all, who would want a Took at a social gathering? However, Mirabella could not persuade her sister otherwise and was forced along to keep her sister in line.

"Perhaps the party will benefit you, keep you out of those books and interested in travel." Lilac commented as she slinked her arm through Mirabella's.

"A book is a way to travel without ever leaving home." Mirabella murmured, "Through imagination I can go anyway."

"It's entirely improper." Lilac sniffed, "You should be traveling with the rest of us instead of causing Father worry – be believes you will be locked up in this Hobbiton home of yours, no husband or friends and with a damping mood on traveling. That's why I've come. Father wants you home and to help stop these corrupted thoughts of pettiness. You're a Took and Took are outgoing and always making Hobbits famous. Do you really want to stay home and tend to a garden and live with a boring husband?"

Mirabella felt ashamed, after the explosion toward her father she had felt guilty but now it was returning full force. "Perhaps I do, I did tell Father I wanted to be a normal Hobbit."

"There is nothing 'normal' about a Took, Mirabella." Lilac said in comfort as they arrived before the community's grand party. If Hobbits were known for one thing besides eating around 5 meals a day, it was partying hard in the Shire. "We'll finish this later."

Mirabella could only sigh in despair, could she really handle this for a whole week?

The party ran from five till late and Mirabella had watched her sister fling dance partners around the floor, drink ale, and dine with a vigorous movements.

...

Lilac was treading lightly around the rest of the week but to Mirabella it was as if her sister was stomping on toes and hurting her good credit with most of the Hobbits, after all Mirabella was a Took and if a Took was in Hobbiton – more would come and visit.

Mirabella was mortified as she saw her sister shamelessly try to see how 'boring' many of the Hobbit boys in the Shire were during her stay. Harassing the respectable hobbits to the point Mirabella was sure no male would ever come near her home within a 500 mile radius. Mirabella could hardly fake being sad to see her sister leave on the Moon (Monday) morning. She had helped her pack the evening before and had even set aside a parting gift the day after the dance in her polite way of getting her sister's off her back.


	3. Snout and Scales

Author's note:

I own only Mirabella Took :)

* * *

Mirabella could only smile tightly as she watched her sister cook her last meal at her residence. No longer would she have to put up with her sister and her foolish antics, but she didn't want to seem overly excited as she pursed her lips together.

"Now, I have done everything to persuade you to come home and if you want to be as stubborn as a dwarf then I'll let you be, but father may not." Lilac huffed, "I gave it my all, Mirabella, and who knew you'd turn out to throw away your lineage and just accept anyone not of Took blood as family. I thought I raised you better."

Mirabella felt guilt creeping up from her stomach to her throat, or was it excitement?

_No_, Mirabella thought, _it was defiantly guilt_.

There was no use in trying to fool herself and she could hardly try and be a coward in the face of the woman who raised her from her teen years and onwards. It was disgraceful, even a step lower than any greedy, power-hungry man in Mirabella's mind but she hadn't the courage to tell her sister her thoughts on the Took family. She had been given the short end of courage – instead she preferred to run and hide than try and confront the issue with her family as she swallowed the guilt.

"Lilac, I have no need of Father and the Took ways." Mirabella spoke softly, "I'm perfectly capable to decide how I wish to live my life."

"Good bye, then." Lilac spoke curtly before grasping her bags and Mirabella's parting gift.

"Good bye."

Lilac rolled out the door and beyond the gate, leaving Mirabella to watch her sister in disgust, not at Lilac for if Lilac turned back she might have thought Mirabella had been disgusted at her. But Mirabella was completely disgusted with herself, at her cowardice towards her sister.

"Completely foolish." Grumbled Mirabella as she slammed her door shut.

...

Mirabella awoke the next morning from a sound that echoed from her pantry. She had fallen from her bed onto the floor in a mess of covers at the sound of breaking glass and splatting fruits. Mirabella could hardly understand the ruckus since Lilac had left yesterday and no one was visiting any time soon.

Mirabella rushed from her room and opened the pantry door, a slim figure darted so quickly out of the door, and the hobbit couldn't identify the creature that was making such a mess. But she saw what it had done to her pantry. The basket of goods her sister had brought her had been ripped in some places with some of the herbs and fruits surrounding the broken basket. Jar had been pushed from shelves along with meat pulled from their places and eaten in random spots. Her favorite sausages had been eaten with not one left for herself!

Mirabella could hardly comprehend before turning and searching for the creature that had made this mess of her food. A dainty tail there and a slim shadow were all see seen dart under her counter, Mirabella rushed after it, grasping at the tail. She gave a hard yank before the creature yowled and darted towards her.

White scales and a tail dipped in light blue flashed passed her, making a bee-line back into the pantry. Mirabella huffed before rushing towards it once more before halting and looking at her hands.

"S-Scales?! That's not Miss Gamford's cat!" Mirabella shivered before pressing her back against the wall next to the Pantry before she moved her nose over the doorway, looking into the dark Pantry. A blue tail fluttered near the basket before Mirabella saw a snout nose poke over the basket's edge, sniffing in fright no doubt.

Suddenly, a head followed and two light purple orbs looked at Mirabella with what could only be described as innocence. Mirabella watched the creature stare at her before it slunk out of the basket and wondered towards the door slowly. The Hobbit woman could only watch in awe as the lizard like creature sniffed at her night dress like a small pup.

"H-Hello there." Mirabella could only whisper in a honey-sweet voice. "You're a bit lost there, aren't you fella?"

The creature glanced up at Mirabella's face before fluttering small wings with not nearly enough mass to lift the creature so she took it as a good feeling – like a dog would wag its tail. She reached for the creature only for it too shy away and sniffs at her hands. It was a pretty large lizard, too large to be any mere lizard.

"You know, I've only read about your kind." Mirabella said softly, "You're a dragon."

The creature merely rushed through the small hallway, squeaking in curiosity before stopping near the front door.

"Oh, no!" Mirabella spoke, "You shall not go outside, I will be forever ridiculed, A Dragon? In the Shire? My name would be spoken through every gossip's lips! Only stay inside." Mirabella nodded to herself before closing the pantry door.

"You did a number on my pantry too, all my sausages! Gone! That's only half of it; I wonder how on earth you even stayed in there! When were you hatched! It had to be sometime last night." Mirabella mumbled to herself, walking back and forth with a palm cradling her chin as she thought aloud. She eventually stopped to look at the scaly creature before she sighed. "But you are cute, aren't you?"

The creature was slim and about the size of a cat with a tail that had a few spikes at the end, like a morning star, a weapon that resembled a Mace. But those eyes and the blue tinted snout made Mirabella believe the creature to be all too adorable to throw out. Its sparkling eyes were persuading Mirabella, screaming at her to keep it, it was a baby after all; no mother or other dragons to care for it.

Oh, but the gossips! Mirabella wanted a name as the only Took to not bring shame on the Took family; a Dragon was too much of an adventure! Unless, she hide the hatchling well enough, it wasn't like people came knocking down her doors because of a friendly invitations often. She was alone and Bilbo never came to her house.

Could she really hide a Dragon from so many eyes and ears? Mirabella thought to herself.

"I suppose you could stay, you're so small you'd be fine to handle, won't you?" Mirabella asked the creature as it slunk away between her legs and back into the Pantry. "Oh no, first things first! The Pantry is not a little Dragon's bedroom!"

...

The rest of the day was spent cleaning after the Dragon's mess in the pantry and setting up a small area in her bedroom with what could be called a bed – or a basket with stuffing. But Mirabella prided herself in the little dragon's new sleeping arrangements that she carried the creature to her room and placed the dragon in her creation.

"There you go, isn't that so much better?" Mirabella sniffed in cockiness. However, the dragon gave a mewling sound before wondering out of the basket and jumping on to the Hobbit bed. "That's mine though!"

Mirabella tasseled with the dragon, trying to force the dragon to stay in the basket before she gave up and let the beast sleep with her, after all, it couldn't be that bad.


End file.
